Agitating contractual nurses stay put

Bhubaneswar: The cease-work stir by contractual nurses appointed under the National Health Mission (NHM) entered its ninth day today as the agitators stayed put with their protests demanding regularization and hike in salary.

“Our agitation has entered its ninth day however the State government has turned a blind eye. We will not return home and do whatever it takes,” said an agitating nurse.

The nurses today registered their protests by wearing black masks with hangman’s noose. The nurses have been protesting at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar.

Today senior nurses of Berhampur medical pledged their support to the contractual nurses’ strike. On Sunday, the Odisha Nursing Employees Association expressed its solidarity with thousands of contractual nurses.

Presently, NHM nurses get remuneration of Rs 10,700 a month while regular government staff nurses get between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 including dearness, house rent and uniform allowances.